𝘾𝙃𝙄𝙇𝘿𝙍𝙀𝙉 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙁𝙇𝘼𝙎𝙃 [𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 𝟚]

Chapter 36: A Growing Connection

[This is a special chapter for all of you who've been waiting for something special between Henry and a certain female; hope you like it]

Henry stood in the speed lab in his suit with his mask off his face while he waited for everyone else to be ready for the fight that they were about to have to go through; despite knowing his time was limited and every second he wastes could lead to his erasing from the timeline he still needed to beat Cicada..take him down once and for all

As he stood there in his thoughts he didn't even realize that Caitlin had walked into the speed lab and the whole time she just watched him..it was as if she had found herself drawn to the son of one of her best friends

And while part of her hated herself for being drawn to him given all the terrible things Bart and Nora have said he's done still apart of her felt that deep down, he was just lost looking for a way to be saved

And what if she could be the one to save him? No..no, she had to get that idea out of her head, right? She just wanted to stop thinking about this..stop all the stuff running through her mind

She let out a deep exhale then cupped her hands together and fiddled with them before she turned around and started to head out of the speed lab at the same time that Henry turned and seen her

Henry: Caitlin?

Caitlin stopped and practically facepalmed that she had gotten caught again but only this time it was by Henry as she turns around and awkwardly waves at him and greets him

Caitlin: Hi. I uh...I didn't mean to disrupt you.

Henry: No, no, it's fine.

He says rubbing his palms together as he clears his throat and then goes over to the table and grabs his bottle of water then takes a sip from it and then surveys his surroundings and remembered something from his past

Henry: Before Nora, Bart, and I came to the past, the last time I was here in the speed lab, I was just ten years old.

Caitlin was utterly surprised by Henry's decision to open up as she took a hesitant step forward and listened to the man, encouraging him to continue

Henry let out a chuckle over the memory as he decided to continue

Henry: Barry had just taken down a wannabe Captain Cold. I walked in after Ir— after Nora dropped me after school because she had a doctors appointment and he was running. He was running around basically doing a victory lap.

A brief pause ensued within the speed lab as a mix of disdain and discomfort crossed Henry's face showing the not so subtle tension that happens whenever he and his father are in the same room

Henry: He finished his run and I asked what he was so happy about. The Captain Cold wannabe had tried to cause horrors and he came over to me, kneeled down and said.

Henry took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on a distant point in his never ending life as he once again continued the trip down memory lane

Henry: That having speed made him feel invincible, like he could fix everything and everyone...so it made it easy. It made it easy to run, to have fun.

Caitlin noticed the conflicted expression on Henry's face and stepped even closer, her curiosity mixed with concern

Caitlin: Why did that bother you so much?

Henry's eyes met Caitlin's, revealing a mixture of frustration and introspection.

Henry: Back then, it just felt like he was dismissing the struggles, the consequences. Like speed was some cure-all. I hated it because life isn't that simple.

Caitlin, empathetic, gently reached out to touch Henry's arm

Caitlin: And now?

Henry: Looking back, and I so hate myself for even admitting it given how much I hate him. But maybe he was right, maybe he was onto something. Speed or not, life is messy, but you just have to work through it, even if it means facing the chaos.

Henry finally turned his gaze to the doctor as their eyes made contact and for a split second she had felt a sudden flicker in her heart only to find it gone when Henry looked away

Caitlin: It sounds like you've learned a lot since then.

Henry nodded, a small smile playing on his lips

Henry: Yeah I did. Never trust the man who you despise most in life.

Caitlin sighs as Henry goes to head out of the speed lab but stops thinking about what he had said to Caitlin a while back as he turns around to her and tells her

Henry: I meant what I said, Caitlin. I would never hurt you.

Caitlin: Why?

Caitlin asks with a mixture of confusion and curiosity rushing through her as she walked over to him, finally deciding to confront him

Caitlin: Why? What did I ever do that would make you not wanna hurt me?

Henry closed his eyes briefly as the faint image of the Caitlin he once knew playing in his mind. As he reopened his eyes, he saw the genuine curiosity within the doctor's eyes, and knew that she was craving answers more than anything

He brings his hand up and gently cupped Caitlin's cheek, a subtle current passing between them which sparked an unexpected connection

He leaned in and while at first, the doctor had took a step back she found herself moving her lips towards his and they found themselves in a kiss that carried an electric charge, a tangible intensity that had transcended time and circumstance

In that moment, Caitlin's conflicted feelings swirled like a tempest within her; she felt the warmth of Henry's touch and the magnetic pull of the kiss, a stark contrast to the analytical and logical meta human filled world she was accustomed to

It was as if the past and the future collided in their kiss, leaving her torn between the familiarity of the old Henry and the complexities of the man she hoped he could become

As Henry pulled away, he looked into Caitlin's eyes, and searched for any amount of understanding that he could find and told her

Henry: You're the only girl who ever made me feel loved.

He turned around and left the speed lab leaving Caitlin alone as she stood there, her hand touching her lips, completely speechless at the unexpected intensity of the moment; The conflicted feelings within her grew, a storm of emotions brewing in the wake of a kiss that was so much better than any kiss she had ever felt before

To Be Continued...